“Platform is a formal set of principle goals which are supported by a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal to the general public, for the ultimate purpose of garnering the general public's support and votes about complicated topics or issues,” according to Wikipedia.

Before we discuss my platform, I think we need to take a look at what I think is the root of our problems -- lack of trust in government and voter apathy. Recent examples of events feeding public distrust in government are:

Criminal charges against the former Chief of Police, Louis Kealoha, and his wife, Katherine, which have created a tangled web of alleged impropriety, including with the Honolulu City Prosecutor’s office;

The resignation of the former executive director of the Honolulu Ethics Commission after he and the Commission were sued by the former police chief. Prior to that, the Commission faced challenges to their authority and heavy-handed pressure from the city administration;

Missing or short ballots in a couple of recent elections, yet the state elections officer has kept his job; and

Release of public records that takes two years or more.

On top of this, for years people have been concerned about the pervasive culture of “pay to play” and allegations that politicians are bought. People have simply come to believe that their voices are no longer heard . . . that their opinions don’t matter.

My campaign starts with a foundation upon which my platform and public service are and will be built. That foundation is the Code of Ethics that was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1958.

Honolulu faces many challenges, and I do not pretend to have solutions to them all. However, if I am elected, I will base my decisions and actions on this Code of Ethics as well as be open to hearing all sides of an issue.